


Auld Lang Syne

by dogmatix, norcumi



Series: Blackest Circle [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dark Obi-Wan Kenobi, GFY, Gen, Non-Canonical Character Death, Suitless Vader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 10:23:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10965297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogmatix/pseuds/dogmatix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/norcumi/pseuds/norcumi
Summary: One year after the fall of the Republic, Vader and his former Master reunite.





	Auld Lang Syne

**Author's Note:**

> This was accomplished with the gracious assistance of Flamethrower, whose world-building is always glorious.

Most of the galaxy didn’t know why Darth Vader was absent from Imperial Center on the anniversary of its birth. Those who were highly ranked within the Empire and thought themselves in the know whispered about armies and temples.

The Emperor knew his attack dog has spent several weeks already sulking around over the matter, and that there had been an increase in both temper tantrums and the associated property damage and body count. Magnanimously, he lengthened Vader’s leash for the celebrations, informing his Apprentice that some meditation might improve his outlook.

The feel of Vader’s rage was, as always, a lovely treat for the Emperor. His court was just quietly glad that the volatile man would not be around to disrupt festivities.

* * *

Dagobah was a pit. The man now known only as “Ben” glared around the humid, muddy swamp. The single bright spot - if it could be called that - about the godsforsaken muckhole, was that there was no one around that he had to hide his fury and temper from.

The presence he’d been tracking for at least a minute drew closer, and Vader emerged from the trees behind Ben in a silent stalk. Ben gave a derisive snort and turned to face his Master. “Your shielding is shit.”

Vader gave him a big grin that was all teeth and no humour. “You’d think, wouldn’t you.” The feel of badly hidden rage, hate, and spite dropped away, though there was still hint of them, like the echo of a scream. “Good. So does everyone else. Especially _him_.”

Ben glared at him, eyes glowing bloodshot yellow. “And he trusts a rabid dog at his side?” he sneered.

“Why shouldn’t he? He thinks he’s the one holding the leash.”

* * *

_It was another bit of Imperial propaganda playing on the cantina’s projector, some prettified bit of gossip dressed up as ‘news,’ so of course he had ignored it at first. It was only when the familiar glare of a lightsaber flickered across the holo that he looked up. The script at the bottom sent a mix of cold and rage snarling up his spine. “Lord Vader attacked by dissidents.” It was footage from some warehouse, and a mixed group of beings were fighting with Vader. There was at least one squad of stormtroopers with him, and both groups had fighters hanging back with blasters while others jumped into melee._

_Several of the rebels had lightsabers. Ben didn’t recognize them, but the haircuts and sloppy lightsabers strikes spoke of padawans, or perhaps members of the auxiliary corps._

_Vader didn’t even bother ducking past his protective escort, or shoving them out of his way. The Sith instead barreled through them, lightsaber slicing them down just as readily as the rebels._

_Only Vader and three stormtroopers walked away from that slaughter._

* * *

“Nobody holds that, anymore,” Ben observed.

“No,” Vader agreed, coming closer and curling his fingers around Ben’s chin to tilt it up a little. “Quite the change, there.”

Ben allowed the grip for a moment, before jerking his head away.

“Thankfully, there’s been no official news of you,” Vader said, changing the subject. “How are they?”

* * *

_Ben stood in the doorway, watching Lanal Darklighter feeding Luke. Her husband Huff was doting over a well-fed Leia in his arms, even as Leia was quite determined to pull the stuffed bantha out of Biggs’ hands. He was gentle in the game of tug of war, his Force presence protective and adoring._

_Here was a five-year-old who could not be happier to finally have the little siblings he had apparently always wanted. He didn’t even seem to mind the odd Uncle they came with, for all that Huff and Lanal were not so sure yet about their ‘distant cousin’ and his dead sister’s children._

_It was an excruciatingly domestic scene. That much Light and affection – he needed to go elsewhere. It all made him want to_ break _things._

* * *

“With a good family. They’re too damn attached to me.”

Vader gave him a scornful look. “They _are_ my children, after all.”

He earned a disdainful sneer for that. “Any useful allies on your end?”

* * *

_Bail Organa stood in the doorway to his own office, shoulders tightening with surprise and fear even under the exhaustion. “Lord Vader.”_

“ _Senator.” Vader didn’t rise from Organa’s chair behind a very nice desk. Instead he gestured, using the Force to turn a visitor’s chair to make it clear he wanted Organa to sit. The contrary senator didn’t, of course. “I have a dead insurgent in the Emperor’s personal holding cells that managed to name you and several other politicians as ringleaders in a little rebellion against my master.”_

_Impressive, how Organa even managed to tamp down his despair so that it did not scream in the Force. “My Lord– ”_

_Vader cut him off with a wave of his hand and just a hint of a Force grip on the throat – not even enough to stop words, but a warning and reminder. “I know treason when I see it, Senator. I also know blackmail when it’s right in front of me. I do not, however, have a firm grasp on politics.”_

_The first declaration froze Organa in place. The second confused him. The third lost him completely, if his frown was anything to go by._

“ _That’s where you come in.”_

* * *

“Some. _He_ keeps me busy hunting Jedi, when he’s not trying to fuck around with the Force.”

* * *

_Vader pulled himself off the floor to kneel before his master, not hiding the sheer agony that Palpatine’s beating left him in. “What do you have to say for yourself, Apprentice?” the Emperor hissed, displeasure radiating off of him and lapping as acid waves against Vader._

“ _He was weak, my Master,” he managed to say, refusing to wipe blood and spit from his face. Palpatine wanted to see the suffering. Maybe feed off of Vader’s rage and disdain. “If he could not protect himself, then he was not worthy of being one of your ‘Inquisitors.’”_

_Force lightning blasted him off his feet, though thankfully this time it, and he, stopped before crashing into the wall again. “Useless! Your rage can be a useful weapon, but not as a bludgeon! You must learn to contain it before you cost me more valuable tools!”_

_Vader groveled. Apologized. Sullenly promised – again – to leash his anger better._

_He made sure to wait until the Emperor was long gone before he allowed himself one vicious, bitter smirk._

_Sidious would not be having him train any more Force using assassins. Not after breaking three of them._

* * *

The flare of anger from Ben caught both of them by surprise. “Hunting Jedi. Ahsoka?”

“No sign of her yet. Imperial warrants say she’s to be taken in _alive_ , and I have made my opinions on the matter _very_ clear. Anyone who doesn’t obey would have to be a very skillful, suicidal fool.”

Ben looked unimpressed, infuriating and sanctimonious as only Vader’s former master could. “Enough people give a damn about your opinions?”

“I already had to make an example.” His fury burned higher, darker, and he snarled. “Rex...”

* * *

_The Emperor was in his Senate pod, presiding over a pointless Senate meeting to confirm Palpatine’s decrees. Vader was at his side, where Mas Amedda had once stood. Now, instead of the Vice Chancellor adding his voice to Palpatine’s, Vader loomed as a reminder of what the Emperor could bring to bear against any stirring of opposition._

_A rapid burst of blasterfire took down the ceremonial guards stationed at the base of the pod. Senators dove down to the floor of theirs, as Vader’s red lightsaber flared to life and deflected another burst._

_The Emperor looked on with bland amusement, unafraid of the single clone who had been guarding one of the countless entryways to the central chamber. His partner was in the floor, neck broken._

“ _Captain Rex!” Vader called. “Stand down!”_

_He couldn’t see the bared-tooth snarl under the helmet, but he could well imagine the expression matching Rex’s emotional maelstrom. “I am an officer in the Grand Army of the Republic!” he yelled back. “I am LOYAL to the Republic, and the Jedi Order!”_

_That got the whispers starting, and Vader could see Rex tensing at the pounding of feet in the corridor behind him. “Not this farce of an Empire or any treasonous– ”_

_Vader ignored him and spoke over the rest of what had to be some grand denouncement of Sidious. “I want him alive!” he roared, reaching out and using the Force to grab Rex’s arm as the clone half-turned to shoot – either to clear out the first security squad coming to stop him, or at least keep their heads down._

_Rex fired back at Vader with the other blaster. He deflected the bolts, internally grimacing because his hold on Rex’s arm limited his own range of motion._

_Vader couldn’t see which guard fired the first shot, but two entire squads took that as a signal and opened fire._

* * *

“Rex was to be taken alive. I made sure _everyone_ involved in that failure _paid_.”

“ _Good_ ,” Ben snarled, and Vader had to grin at the emotion behind the word. It was the kind of anger that should be used. Not his original intention in bringing up a painful memory, but that didn’t matter.

Vader summoned his lightsaber to hand and ignited it, lashing out towards Ben. Canny bastard had a brand new lightsaber up in a block, the red blades sparking against each other and making the swamp around them seems to pulse like an angry heart. “Enough chit-chat. Time to learn about Sith Lightning, Apprentice.”

The snarl he got for that was satisfying, but it was even more satisfying how Ben jumped away from the wash of lightning that Vader sent his way. Ben’s rage was potent enough that it wasn’t even ten minutes before he flicked the first substantial sparks back at Vader. Good progress, but not good enough. If they were to save the whole fucking galaxy, they both needed to learn much, much faster.


End file.
